


[let's try that one again, shall we?]

by PrinceWinter



Series: Jörmungandr ('Human' Loki AU) [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Akechi Goro Attends Shujin Academy, Akechi Goro Redemption, Does it count if your adoptive sibling is a cognitive deity?, Human Loki AU, M/M, New Game +, Rated M for humor, Time Loop, Whether he likes it or not!, against his will
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:27:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27104956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrinceWinter/pseuds/PrinceWinter
Summary: He sat up quickly with a gasp, clutching a chest that had last been in excruciating pain, his eyes wide. Once his mind stopped spinning enough to cooperate with his body, he leaned over to grab his cellphone from the bedside table. Notifications from his social media, an email from Sae, a weather alert –expect passing showers later today!– and most pressingly, today’s date.April 4th, 2016.“Bullshit,”he hissed.-[In which Goro Akechi wakes up afterdefinitely dyingto find that he had been sent back to the beginning of the year.][And this time, he's not alone.]
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Loki, Minor Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira
Series: Jörmungandr ('Human' Loki AU) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1978366
Comments: 27
Kudos: 189





	[let's try that one again, shall we?]

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea awhile back and the #HELLOLOKI stuff meant I just had to do it. I'll probably end up doing a series of oneshots for this AU because it's very fun.
> 
> Also, quick note: Loki uses some ancient Norse words here and there because he's a pretentious fuck. I have found one (1) website with an ancient Norse dictionary. Forgive me if stuff's inaccurate, I am but a fanfic author.
> 
> Though uh. 'Byleistr' isn't a Norse word. It's actually the term for a deity/figure that was apparently Loki's brother in Norse mythology. I liked the way it sounded, so that's what Loki calls Goro.

Having as much blood on his hands as he did, Goro Akechi did often find himself wondering what dying was actually _like._ There were many nights, alone and staring up at the dull white ceiling of his apartment – was it even his? _Shido_ was the one that paid for it – where he thought about dying at length. He wondered how easy it would be to just let the claws of death take him, as he certainly had the _means_ to take his own life, but he never went through with it.

(After all, kids at the orphanage would tease him and say he should kill himself ‘just like mom’, and he was nothing if not defiant.)

Death found him whether he wanted it or not, though. He wondered what it would feel like, and he got his answer – it _hurt._ The bullet from his cognitive double tore through his chest and pierced through his heart (strange, the first time he becomes truly aware he has one is when it’s being ripped apart), and he had just a few drawn-out moments of consciousness to take in the entire feeling. Numbness then overtook him, followed by a dizzying blackness.

That part, at least, he could’ve seen coming. Pain and numbness. _How predictable_. Perhaps part of him had been wishing for death to be a bit more _interesting,_ but oh well. It was what came _next_ that he wasn’t expecting in the slightest. A voice reached out to him in the murky void, an unknowable amount of time after his death.

“What a turn of events, _Byleistr,_ ” the voice purred with a mischievous tone. Something about it was so familiar, and yet Goro could not place where he had heard it before. “To think I’d be so invested in the life and death of a mortal.”

Suddenly, Goro felt as though he were falling, but he could not make a single sound – it was doubtful he even had a body at this point. “Well, we’ll see how many favors I can pull to sort this one out,” the voice continued. “Let’s take it from the top, one more time.”

“And, ah,” the voice had a twinge of amusement to it, “how about we don’t die this time?”

– which is when Goro Akechi woke up in his apartment, decidedly not dead, without any bullet holes anywhere on his body.

He sat up quickly with a gasp, clutching a chest that had last been in excruciating pain, his eyes wide. Once his mind stopped spinning enough to cooperate with his body, he leaned over to grab his cellphone from the bedside table. Notifications from his social media, an email from Sae, a weather alert – _expect passing showers later today! –_ and most pressingly, today’s date.

April 4th, 2016.

 _“Bullshit,”_ he hissed. Surely his phone was broken or something. With shaking fingers, he screwed around with the settings to no avail, grumbling strings of crass words under his breath. Climbing out of bed, he dropped his phone onto the nightstand and staggered over to the window, opening up the blinds. Once his eyes adjusted to the new light, he took in the outside scene.

Well, it certainly _looked_ like spring. Some of the trees had blossoms, the passersby were in lighter outfits than those that would be worn in December, and to just rub salt further in the wound, an advertisement on a nearby building mentioned a _Spring Half-off Sale._ Goro may be a skeptic, but he’s not an idiot. When he sees evidence of the impossible all around him, he’s not just going to ignore it.

This was a truth he was going to have to get used to. Somehow, he hadn’t died on Shido’s ship—no, not just that; _somehow_ , he had woken up almost an entire _year_ before his death. So much had happened that year, so much that it made his head spin just trying to recall it all, and yet it had all been undone in a single second.

Not only that, but it had been undone by something. He recalled the voice that spoke to him after his death, far too crisp and clear in his mind to have been a dream – was he going to become the plaything of some kind of otherworldly entity now? Was it just his lot in life to be passed around from controlling force to controlling force? What an _irritating_ fate.

Letting out a ragged sigh, he checked his phone. Nine AM? Eh. Whatever. Any public appearances scheduled? Nope.

He wanted a fucking beer.

(He remembered offhandedly mentioning getting a drink to Sae once, causing her to recoil in shock. He’d played it off as one of his usual dry jokes, but he internally took a fair amount of amusement thinking about how many lives he’d destroyed – if only Sae knew, then underage drinking would be the least of her concern.)

He stifled a yawn and exited his room, stepping out into his apartment’s living room – and then he froze.

There was someone on his couch.

Someone that looked almost exactly like him. _Almost._ It was like looking into a funhouse mirror; the features were his, but also not. The invader was also drinking _his_ beer, which was almost the most pressing issue.

“Good morning, _Byleistr_.” The voice was all-too familiar. “Sleep well?”

“Who the _hell_ are you,” Goro snapped. “If you don’t get out of my fucking apartment right this second—”

The stranger sat up straighter on the couch, holding his hands up in a sheepish gesture, though his expression remained smug and unaffected. “Now now, don’t be like that. I live here too, you know.”

“Like hell you do.” He took a step forward, mentally preparing himself to fight his bizarre, beer-stealing doppelganger.

“Ah,” the stranger pouted, “so you can’t figure it out, hm? So much for the whole ‘ace detective thing, but I guess I should be a bit more fair to you – you’ve already had quite the shock this morning.” He stood, half a head taller than Goro himself, and smirked down at him. “Use that big brain of yours, _Byleistr_. Can’t you figure out who I am?”

Despite his brain not being able to make sense of his own answer, Goro spoke it anyways. “…Loki?”

A grin. “ _Exactly.”_

\--

Goro had to accept three facts in very quick succession, with very little room to breathe in-between any of them. One was that Loki wasn’t ever really _his_ persona, but was instead some kind of cognitive entity that decided it liked him and hung around, sort of like Kurusu’s slew of masks. Another was that Loki took pity (ugh) on him when he was dying and ‘pulled some favors’ to allow him to rewind time back a few months to avoid his own death. The third was that Loki didn’t trust him not to fuck it all up on his own, and decided to join him.

“And so, welcome to a new timeline,” Loki announced proudly, opening his arms. “Congratulations, you get a fresh start on the worst year of your life, now with the added bonus of a wonderful and charismatic _big bro_ on your side. It’ll be brilliant, _Byleistr._ I’ve already thought of a cover story about how I came to be.”

Goro just put his head in his hands. “Can’t I just stay dead?”

“Nope.” Loki took a swig from the third can of beer he’d drank since showing up in Goro’s apartment. “You don’t seem particularly happy for one who got chosen by a god. Very disappointing.”

“You’re not a god,” Goro corrected sharply, “you’re just some cognitive… thing.”

Another swig. “Yes, and? The cognition of _‘Loki’_ as a mythological figure is that he’s a god. And so, I am.” He grinned toothily. “Also, that Loki gets away with everything and since nobody can really agree on the extent of his powers, he can do pretty much anything. I have to say, of all the beings I could have manifested as, I rolled quite the lucky break.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Goro grumbled, opening up the fridge and immediately bristling upon seeing there were no more cans of beer inside. “—you damn alcoholic! Where did all of my beer go? Have you just been drinking _all morning?_ ”

“Essentially.” He finished the can in his hands before crushing it and tossing it aside. “To be fair, my alcohol tolerance is pretty high, being an immortal nonhuman being and all. It takes quite a bit to get a good buzz going.”

Goro stormed over to his new ‘brother’, grabbing the discarded can and throwing it back at his forehead. “That doesn’t give you permission to drink _all_ of mine!”

Loki let out a little ‘oof’ sound when the can bounced off his forehead, before crossing his arms indignantly. “Not my fault you buy watered down crap.”

“How,” Goro asked no-one in particular, “are _you_ the weapon that kept me alive for years?”

Another sharp-toothed grin from Loki. “Same way you’re both the ‘detective prince’ and Shido’s favorite assassin.”

“Shut up.”

“Anyways,” Loki stood, as if Goro had never spoken at all, “remember that ‘cover story’ I mentioned? Ah, that was literal. We should probably go over it to ensure there are no inconsistencies for others to latch onto. No need to raise suspicions.”

Goro crossed his arms. “As if I’m letting you meddle in my life. Go back to the slime of Mementos or wherever you things come from.”

Loki clutched his chest as if Goro had shot him – which was becoming a tempting prospect – and gave him an absolutely _insulted_ look. “Oh, you _wound_ me! But of course, it doesn’t matter,” he continued, dropping the dramatic act easily. “You’re not getting rid of me so easily, _Byleistr_. There is no choice in the matter. We will be repeating this year whether you like it or not, and I will be present to ensure you don’t throw yourself right back into the jaws of death.”

Goro raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Do you seriously doubt my ability to survive on my own?”

“Ah, not ‘survive’, necessarily.” Loki waved a dismissive hand. “You can certainly survive. However, with your inherently self-destructive nature, you could very well choose not to. I would prefer that not to happen.”

“I don’t see a reason why you should care.” Goro picked up the discarded cans and threw them in the trash, shooting glares at Loki as he did so.

“Don’t you remember our first meeting? You bested me in battle, deep in Mementos. I liked the fire in your eyes, _Byleistr._ I offered to burn the world for you, and you accepted.” He sat back down on the couch, sprawling lazily across it like a cat. “But I also promised to protect you, and I am a god of my word.”

Ah. Goro _did_ recall that, now that he thought about it. It was the only time he had ever successfully recruited a shadow as a Persona. Every attempt after that had failed spectacularly. “Aren’t you a trickster god? Why would you keep your promise?”

“There is quite the difference between a trickster and a liar – though, I suppose I lie fairly often still!” He barked out a sharp laugh. “Ah, speaking of which, we really should go over my cover story. Otherwise people will get suspicious, and I’m sure you know that flimsy lies make room for blades to slip through.”

Finally, Goro simply gave up, sitting down on the chair facing the couch. “Fine. I give in.”

“At last! Save the disagreeable attitude for those that it may actually deter. You’ll find that stubbornness is a trait we both share.” Loki laid back on the couch and began his ramble. “So from today forth, we are brothers – ah, _half-brothers,_ really. As I am older by three years, I’ve decided. _Móðir_ hadn’t known Shido then, so I suppose I was born from a client before that!”

“She didn’t start working as a prostitute until after _I_ was born,” Goro corrected him. “Her life was just fine before then, she didn’t have to whore herself out until I came along.”

Loki frowned. “Yes, yes, I know, but does anyone else know that? The dead don’t speak, and to be honest, neither do you.” A pause. “Ah, besides to your _Sigyn,_ but he doesn’t recall that anymore, so—”

“Wait, my _who?”_ Goro cut him off. He had a feeling, based on pure context, who Loki was talking about, but he didn’t like the implications of how he worded it.

Loki let out a wistful sigh and swooned back on the couch dramatically. “Ah, sweet devoted _Sigyn._ T’was never a woman quite like her.” Pause. “…well, t’was probably never a Sigyn at all, as I’m a cognition, but no matter. My memories of my wife feel real enough to me!”

“Your wife,” Goro echoed dryly. “Not sure if you noticed, but I’m not married.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Of course your Sigyn isn’t your _wife._ I am fully and well-aware of your sexuality, _Byleistr._ ” Before Goro could manage a flustered response, Loki continued. “I am speaking of the Phantom Thieves’ leader, of course.”

“You lived in my head for _years,”_ Goro sputtered helplessly, “and yet you know me so little that you think _Kurusu_ is my _wife?”_

“Don’t be silly,” Loki replied dismissively. “He’s obviously your husband.”

“He’s not that either!”

“…ah, is he your secret lover in the night?” There was no way Loki wasn’t intentionally messing with him, on account of the absolutely _shit-eating_ grin on his face. “Perhaps an escape whenever one needs the release of passion – it is good to find a trustworthy partner for that, lest you make questionable decisions?”

Goro gritted his teeth, already well-past his threshold for bullshit. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about anymore.”

“You used to love mythology, have you never read about my son, Sleipnir? He is a horse.” Loki’s grin was absolutely taunting.

“Great. So the creature that lived in my head for three years fucked a horse.” Goro put his head in his hands.

Loki paused. “Ah, well, actually, it wasn’t quite like that. You see, I am technically the horse’s mother, so that means I was fucked _by—”_

Goro grabbed the nearest object – unfortunately a soft and harmless throw pillow – and threw it directly into Loki’s face.

\--

When Goro thought his life couldn’t get any more complicated, that’s when Loki sprung yet another surprise on him.

“Ah, that’s right. You’ll be starting school on the ninth.” He had been spending the past thirty minutes tearing apart Goro’s living room to make a space for himself. “Your new school, I mean.”

Goro choked on his cheap, instant coffee. “My _what?_ ”

“Oh? I didn’t tell you?” Loki’s smirk was absolutely taunting. “You’ll be spending your third year at _Shujin Academy_. You did say you wished you met your Sigyn earlier, yes?”

“ _Shujin!?_ ” Goro sputtered. “My old school was _just fine,_ thank you! And—and when I said that, I meant _years_ earlier – it’s a bit too late now! Also - _again_ , Kurusu isn't my _wife!_ ”

“Ah, details, details,” Loki replied, waving him off with a dismissive hand. “It wasn’t within my power to send you back _that_ far, so this is the best we can manage.” He flashed Goro a big, toothy grin. “Good news is that you have a head-start on ‘discovering’ your favorite coffee place, hm?”

Goro felt like the world was making his life into a big joke – even more so than usual.

**Author's Note:**

> I actually drew Goro and Loki a bit ago! You can find it on my Twitter here: https://twitter.com/PrinceWinter15/status/1316969794281811968
> 
> Be sure to give me a follow, btw. I'm sorta cool I guess.
> 
> Anyways, I'll probably continue this series soon with another random oneshot at some point, so give the series a follow if you're curious - I'll also take feedback/suggestions on Twitter or in the comments! My plans for this are fast 'n loose.


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